Fare box light unit



Jan. 22, 1952 A. A. LYMAN FARE BOX LIGHT UNIT Filed Dec. 11. 1948 IINVENTOR. r7- ,4. 4 YMA u A T TORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1952 FARE BOXLIGHT UNIT Albert A. Lyman, Short Hills, N. J., asslgnor to PublicService'Coordinated Transport, Newark, N. J., a corporation of NewJersey Application December 11, 1948, Serial No. 64,7ll

2Claims. (01.240-2) 3'11 This invention relates to improvements in lightunits, and, more particularly, is directed to a light unit to be securedto fare boxes such as are used in busses, trolley cars and trains. It isthe object of this invention to provide a fare box light unit havingunique structural features whereby the same may be secured to the farebox from a point interiorly of said box, while the light bulb maybeinserted into its socket and removed therefrom from a point exteriorlyof the box, in a simple manner which will, at the same time, preventaccess to the interior of the fare box. Light units of the type referredto are used for the purpose of illuminating the interior of the fare boxto permit inspection of the "fare deposited therein. Such boxes are usedin large quantities by public utilities, and the light bulbs, which havea limited useful life, must be replaced from time to time. The device ofthe instant invention permits that to be done from a point exteriorly ofthe fare box in a rapid and facile manner without permitting the personreplacing the bulb to gain access to the interior of the fare box. Thisis important as it is highly undesirable to permit unauthorized accessto the interior of the fare box. The device of my invention permits thelight bulb to be inserted and replaced in a very short period oftime. Inview of the frequency with which such light bulbs must be replaced andthe number of fare boxes in use in the average transportation system,these features are highly practical and important, and result insubstantial savings.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from thedrawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the"structure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration .ofsaid drawings, and the followings description, thattheifive'ntioh may beembodied inbther forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as comewithin the scope of the appended claims are to be considered withinthepurview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the frame of a farebox light unit embodying my invention, taken on line Ii of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, V

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view, taken online 33 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly sectional, taken on line4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame and cover plate.

The drawings illustrate a preferred form of the invention. From aconsideration thereof and the following description, it will be apparentthat many changes may be made within the scope and purview of theinvention. The fare box light unit comprises a frame l0 having a rearwall I! and sidewalls I 2, l2 and a socket 'supportweb i Bin said framehaving an aperture it in which the light bulb socket I may bepositioned. Said light bulb socket I4 is provided with a bulb l5 forilluminating the portion F of the fare box in which the fare isdeposited, for permitting ready inspection of the deposited coin orcoins, tokens, tickets, or the like. Socket holding means, such as a nutmember I6 adapted to threadedly engage the socket l4 and the support l3,lock the socket to the support from the underside of the latter. One ormore fastener engaging members or bosses I! are provided on theinner'side of the rear wall ll of the frame, beneath thesocket, supportl3 thereof, and are adaptd to be engaged by complementary fastenerelements ll passed through the wall W of the fare box from the interiorof the latter to secure the light unit thereto.

The arrangement described permits the light bulb I 5 to be inserted orremoved from the open top of the frame It] without, at the same time,permitting withdrawal of the socket N therefrom. Likewise, as' the frameis secured to the fare box from a position interiorly of the wallthereof, and as the fastener engaging members I! are disposed in thelower portion of the frame it, the said frame cannot be removedexteriorly of the fare box I8. The upper end of the frame I ii ispreferably closed by a cover plate l9 which is removably secured to saidframe by any suitable or convenient means, as, for example, by providingthe'cover and frame with complementary fastener means. In'the form shownin the drawings, said fastener means comprise bolts l9 passing throughapertures 20 in the cover plate l9 and engaging threaded apertures 2| inthe socket support l3. Side walls l2, [2' of the frame It! snugly abutthe wall W of the fare box l8 when the said frame is secured thereto, upto a level coinciding with the planeof the upper surface of the socketsupport 13 of the frame. Above that level, the cover plate I9, whensocured to the frame ll], covers substantially the entire upper portionof said frame above the socket supporting web l3, with the exception ofa small portion 25 thereof. through which the light from bulb l5 maypass into the fare deposit section F of the fare box l8 (see Fig. 3). Ifso desired, the socket l4 may be formed, as specifically shown in Fig.3, to include a ring 23 integral with, or displaceably secured to, thesocket M, and adapted to overlie the upper surface of the socket supportl3 adjacent the apertured portion 13 1111612301 The threaded portion ofthe socket 14, as above noted, may be threadedly engaged by the nut 16so as to conveniently clamp the socket 14 to the support 13.

The bulb-receiving socket I4 is mounted wet-tically through opening [3'in the web l3, and extends downwardly through the opening 28 in the wallportion W into the fare box.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the fastener engaging bosses ii areinclined "with respect to "-Lthe substantially vertical rear wall H at adownward angle so that the bolts l1 may conveniently engage the threadedportions '24 of the .fastener engaging members H in "the general planeof "the latter. That arrangement conforms to the specific outline of the"fare box l-B shown in Fig. .3, wherein the wall W is inclined at anangle with respect to the substantially vertical side wall of the farebox l8. To that end, likewise, the "side walls 12, I2 are formed withtheir lower edges 'angularly disposed with'respect to the -rear wall Hof the frame 10. ,"Ihe invention, however,

is not limited to this specific form, and maybe readily adapted Torapplication to rare boxes having walls disposed in planes other than theangular "plane shown in Fig. 3. To conform the invention thereto, thelower edges of the side walls of the frame and the disposition of thefastener engaging "members 11 would be correspondingly altered. 'In,place of the bolts 19'' engaging the threaded apertures Zl oi "thesocket support 13, "and "bolts H engaging the threaded portions z l'ofthe members "l1 any other desired or convenient 'intereng'a'ging latchmechanism maybe substituted, if so desired.

Having thus described 'my invention, what I claim as new and "desiretdsecure by Letters Patent is:

*lf'In combination with a fare box having "at its top a fare-receivingchaniber provided with transparent side walls, "said rare box "having awall portion extending outwardlyfrom the'bottom ofthe 'fare receivingchamber and formed extending upwardly above the bottom of thefarereceiving chamber, a bulb-receiving socket mounted verticallythrough the opening in said web and extending downwardly through theopening in the wall portion into the fare box, a bulb removably fittedin said socket through the open top of said frame, a cover .forsaidframe having its inner end spaced upwardly from the bottom of the farereceiving chamber and thereby providing a space through which light fromthe bulb may enter the fare-receiving chamber, and screws :passeddownwardly through the cover and screwed into the threaded apertures ofthe web Iorreleasablyholding the cover in place.

.In combination with a fare box having a fare-receiving chamber at itstop provided with "transparent side walls, said fare box having a wall,portion extending from the bottom of the Tare-receiving chamber andformed with an opening; a lighting attachment for the farer'eceivingchamber comprising a frame open at itstop and along 'its inner side, ahorizontal .web in Jsa'id frame formed with an opening, bosses in -theframe under said web, fasteners extending "through the \vall'portio'nandremoyab'ly engaged in saidlbosses for detachably securing the frameagainst the said wailportion with its open side projecting upwardlyabove the bottom of the fare-receiving chamber, a bulb-receiving socketmounted through the opening in the web and extending into the fare'boxthrough the opening 'inthe said wall portion thereof, abulb fittedintothe bulb-receiving socket through the open .top of the frame. and aremovable cover for said frame havingjitsinner endspaced upwardly fromthe bottom .of the stare-receiving .chamber and thereby providing aspace at the innerside of 1e frame through which light from the bulb mayenter the rare-receiving chamber.

ALBERT .A. LYMAN.

REFERENCES 'CITED .The following references are .of record .:in :the=file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS INuniber Name Date 399,820 .Beaman Mar. 19, 18891,113,016 Josephin Oct-6,1914 $1,164,301 Moore ;Dec. 14;, :1915$1,201,654 Wakefield vOct. .1-7, 1916 1,201,830 Knauff .Oct. v1.7, 19161,459,440 Butte June 19,1923 12,121,783 Breckenridge a--- 'June .28,193B 2 .283 ,994 Hopkins "May 126, .1942 2,478,662 .Long .Aug. 19,1949

. FOREIGN EPATENTS Number Country ,Date

298,870 "England Oct. 18.1923

